Bill seeking to ban medical marijuana advertisements introduced

A pair of identical bills were introduced to the Michigan House and Senate Wednesday that would ban medical marijuana dispensaries and businesses from advertising on billboards.

Sen. Rick Jones and Rep. Andy Schor said in a statement that the bills they introduced would mirror the state's ban on billboard advertising for tobacco.

The legislators cite Centers for Disease Control research that notes tobacco advertising can increase usage by minors. Jones and Schor say they want to limit youth exposure to medical marijuana.

"We don't need massive marijuana billboards advertising the availability of medical marijuana or to find shops, and shouldn't be advertising this to our children and others who may abuse it," said Schor.

The state does not have a billboard advertising ban on alcohol, which also has an age limit.

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Stateside's conversation with Andrew Brisbo, director of the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation.

New medical marijuana laws mean that by this time next year, things will be very different for the medical marijuana industry in Michigan. The state will be handing out licenses to growers, testing facilities, transporters and dispensaries.

That means the state will have to regulate and license this business as it expands.

It will also mean new taxes. Some predict that the medical marijuana industry could generate revenues topping $700 million in Michigan.